The History of Buddhist Thought c19.27

c19.27

Going to the goatherd’s banyan tree Buddha deliberated whether he should teach the doctrine to others. Then Brahmā Sahampati, thinking that the world would be destroyed, came with a train of gods and implored him to teach. He promised, and thought first of going to his old teacher Āḷāra, but on applying his mind saw that he had died a week before. Then he thought of Uddaka, but he had died the evening before, so thinking of the five disciples who had left him he knew that they were in the deer park of Benares, and decided to “ set turning the Wheel of the Doctrine ” there. When the disciples saw him coming, they decided to pay him no reverence beyond offering him a seat. But Buddha knowing their thoughts pervaded them with love, so that they could not keep their resolve, but showed him all respect. They addressed him by name or as friend, but he explained that he was Sammāsambuddha, the fully enlightened. Then he preached the Dhammacakkappavattana-sutta, the discourse of setting in motion the Wheel of the Doctrine. Koṇḍañña at once attained the fruit of entering the stream, and the other four on each of the following days. On the fifth day he preached the Anattalakkhaṇa-sutta, on the marks of non-soul, and all attained arahatship.